Huge issue exposed in Team Canada’s Olympic roster

Team Canada officially unveiled its men’s ice hockey roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina on Wednesday, but insiders and pundits say not everyone is happy with the choices.

According to Frank Seravalli, there were “definitely differences of opinion” among Team Canada’s management when it came to the selection of forward Anthony Cirelli. Ultimately, Lightning coach Jon Cooper’s conviction carried the day, securing Cirelli’s spot on the roster.

The discussion wasn’t limited to forwards. Questions probably also arose about defenseman Colton Parayko and goalie Jordan Binnington, both of whom play for GM Doug Armstrong in St. Louis. He is the general manager for Team Canada.

While these picks may have sparked debate, the team will continue to rely on the same eight defensemen from the recent 4 Nations tournament, with Binnington returning and joined by newcomers Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper in net.

New faces on the roster include forwards Macklin Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, Bo Horvat, and Tom Wilson, who replace Sam Bennett, Travis Konecny, Seth Jarvis, and one extra Olympic roster spot. Fans will be watching closely to see if these changes shake up Team Canada’s chemistry on the ice.

With the Olympics fast approaching, these roster decisions, especially the more controversial picks, highlight the tough calls management has to make. Will Cirelli and the other new additions prove the doubters wrong? Only time will tell, but it’s clear that Team Canada’s path to gold comes with its fair share of internal drama.

Check out the full official roster here: